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I am going away for the weekend with my husband. I will be away from my baby for 3 days. I plan to pump while I am gone, but would like to have a few drinks with my husband. If I have had a few drinks and pump, do I need to dump this breast milk? I was hoping to pump and save some milk because I am using up most of my frozen supply while gone, but I don't want to keep and freeze milk that could have alcohol in it, of course.

Any suggestions. Should I just dump any milk I pump if I have had some alcohol and only save if I haven't?

Thanks.

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7 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Storing Breast MilkI am going away for the weekend with my husband. I will be away from my baby for 3 days. I plan to pump while I am gone, but would like to have a few drinks with my husband. If I have had a few drinks and pump, do I need to dump this breast milk? I was hoping to pump and save some milk because I am using up most of my frozen supply while gone, but I don't want to keep and freeze milk that could have alcohol in it, of course.

Any suggestions. Should I just dump any milk I pump if I have had some alcohol and only save if I haven't?

If you go to kellymom.com, it says that pumping and dumping is pointless. Basically, the alcohol is in your blood and if it is in your blood it is in your milk. So if you have a few drink and feel the effects of the drinks, then it is in your milk as well. However, if you have a drink or two with dinner and by the time you get home you are fine, everything has cleared through and your milk will be fine. HTH.

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Report This| Share this:Storing Breast MilkIf you go to kellymom.com, it says that pumping and dumping is pointless. Basically, the alcohol is in your blood and if it is in your blood it is in your milk. So if you have a few drink and feel the effects of the drinks, then it is in your milk as well. However, if you have a drink or two with dinner and by the time you get home you are fine, everything has cleared through and your milk will be fine. HTH.

You basically have two options if you drink. You can pump and dump the milk or just not pump at all. The only reason you would NEED to pump is to keep your supply or relieve engorgement.

The basic rule is wait 2 hours per drink. If you feel OK to drive a car, then you are probably OK to keep any milk that you pump at that time. I usually play it safe and don't pump/nurse until the morning if I have a few drinks.

As PP said, the alcohol will not stay in your milk once it's metabolized in your body. Some women believe that you need to pump in order to get the alcohol out of your milk; not true. Your body will get rid of it just like in your blood.

Have fun on your trip!

Me (29). DH (40). DSD (15). DSS (9). DS1 (2). DS2 (10/6/10).

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Report This| Share this:Storing Breast MilkYou basically have two options if you drink. You can pump and dump the milk or just not pump at all. The only reason you would NEED to pump is to keep your supply or relieve engorgement.

The basic rule is wait 2 hours per drink. If you feel OK to drive a car, then you are probably OK to keep any milk that you pump at that time. I usually play it safe and don't pump/nurse until the morning if I have a few drinks.

As PP said, the alcohol will not stay in your milk once it's metabolized in your body. Some women believe that you need to pump in order to get the alcohol out of your milk; not true. Your body will get rid of it just like in your blood.

Thank you ladies. I appreciate it. I just started back to work full time today and then our anniversary is this weekend. I am so worried my milk will dry out, but I am going to try everything I can to keep it up even if I have to dump it (after a few drinks). I love breastfeeding my son, so I will do what it takes. Thanks for your input.

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Report This| Share this:Storing Breast MilkThank you ladies. I appreciate it. I just started back to work full time today and then our anniversary is this weekend. I am so worried my milk will dry out, but I am going to try everything I can to keep it up even if I have to dump it (after a few drinks). I love breastfeeding my son, so I will do what it takes. Thanks for your input.

We took a weekend away from LO while I was breastfeeding and since there was not a way to store it, i just pumped and dumped to keep the supply up. i don't work, so it wasn't that big a deal to me since I don't need a huge stash. Heck, I have had emergency bottles in the fridge that I have to dump because they went bad. as much as possible I would try to pump at the same times you would normally pump or feed LO.

Like others said, if you don't feel the effects of the alcohol and your about 2 hours out from your drink, you should be fine to keep it. Once upon a time, the common thought was that milk made while drinking would be contaminated, but further study has proven it to be a dynamic liquid with the alcohol getting cleaned out like it is from your blood.

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Report This| Share this:Storing Breast MilkWe took a weekend away from LO while I was breastfeeding and since there was not a way to store it, i just pumped and dumped to keep the supply up. i don't work, so it wasn't that big a deal to me since I don't need a huge stash. Heck, I have had emergency bottles in the fridge that I have to dump because they went bad. as much as possible I would try to pump at the same times you would normally pump or feed LO.

Like others said, if you don't feel the effects of the alcohol and your about 2 hours out from your drink, you should be fine to keep it. Once upon a time, the common thought was that milk made while drinking would be contaminated, but further study has proven it to be a dynamic liquid with the alcohol getting cleaned out like it is from your blood.

There are test strips that you can use to test for alcohol in your breastmilk. You can buy them at pharmacies like walgreens and CVS. Target may have them too. That way you don't have to worry about whether your baby is getting too much alcohol through your milk, and you're also not dumping what could be perfectly good milk! I just googled it, the brand is "Milkscreen".

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Report This| Share this:Storing Breast MilkThere are test strips that you can use to test for alcohol in your breastmilk. You can buy them at pharmacies like walgreens and CVS. Target may have them too. That way you don't have to worry about whether your baby is getting too much alcohol through your milk, and you're also not dumping what could be perfectly good milk! I just googled it, the brand is "Milkscreen".

Hi, I saw one of the Kardashians (in their show) use those strips and even when the effects of alcohol on her were long gone, (she had pumped several times) the milk still had some. So if you want to be dead sure about how apt your milk is, I think the test strips are the most reliable method.

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Report This| Share this:Storing Breast MilkHi, I saw one of the Kardashians (in their show) use those strips and even when the effects of alcohol on her were long gone, (she had pumped several times) the milk still had some. So if you want to be dead sure about how apt your milk is, I think the test strips are the most reliable method.

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"Really we have not met before. But I have something very important to discuss with you. I have been searching for the real relative of my client who died as a result of cancer for many years now. Thank God I have finally found you. Please I want you to contact me through my private e-mail address so that I will explain everything in details... Here is my e-mail :{ thomashubertsadvisors@gmail.com}

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